Big Data Doesn’t Need to Be Scary

                Manufacturing and the pace of the plant floor is moving very quickly. From quality management to on-time delivery, manufacturers have endless amounts of data to track. The incredible growth of manufacturing data has left some manufacturers wondering how they can keep up and extrapolate useful information from big data.

                Enterprise resource planning (ERP) in the cloud is the engine that uses data generated on the plant floor to power manufacturers. With cloud ERP, manufacturers can gather more accurate, real-time data; programmable logic controllers (PLCs), visual management systems, barcode readers and wearable technology or smart production equipment that integrates with the ERP system all help manufacturers increase production. Many manufacturers are buying IP-enabled items, and equipment sensors help limit downtime and improve predictive maintenance.

                Automated cloud transactions manage data more efficiently than manual paper-based processes; not only is the data gathered more quickly, it also eliminates manual errors. Reducing manual work also gives plant floor operators and IT professionals more time to perform strategic activities, rather than dealing with day-to-day issues. What greatly enables this efficiency is one single source of the truth; one database for all enterprise data means that automation doesn’t occur just for one plant. It occurs for the entire enterprise at once.  

                Big data on the plant floor doesn’t have to lead to big problems. With the integration of cloud ERP and other modern manufacturing technologies, manufacturers will continue to find great success and strategic insights from valuable plant floor data.

Want to learn more about the benefits of improved visibility into plant floor data? Access the “Improved Data Visibility Drives Manufacturing Performance” white paper.